


Loony Egg is Forever Protected

by Armelia_Rydd



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Harry, Bad Ending, But still light-hearted I swear, Child Abuse, Dark Harry Hart, Denial of Feelings, Eggsy is an anti-kingsman eco-terrorist, Eggsy is hired by Valentine, Everyone thinks Eggsy is crazy, Explicit Language, Harry is Eggsy's imaginary friend, M/M, Slightly Supernatural, Slow Burn, Tragic Romance, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, as in anti-kingsman and it's for Eggsy's sake, but not really eheh, now everyone thinks Eggsy has some kind of super power, please don't hate Roxy she means well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-07-19 20:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7377019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Armelia_Rydd/pseuds/Armelia_Rydd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eggsy has an imaginary friend.</p><p>Not your typical imaginary friend, mind you, but a true gentleman, an invisble knight that came to him in bespoke armour. What could go wrong, as long as Harry stands by his side ?</p><p>But then Harry disappears and Dean Baker shows up.</p><p>Or</p><p>When everyone thinks Eggsy is crazy and has a superpower but it was invisible Harry all along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language, and I apologize in advance for the many grammar and spelling mistakes that you'll read. Although if you could point it out to me, I'd be most grateful: I'm still learning and would greatly benefit from it.
> 
> Still searching for a Beta Reader. Just so you know.

As far as Eggsy could remember, Harry had always been there.  
  
Well, maybe not always as _in since the day he was born ;_ his presence had crept into his life, at first an insidious shadow blending among the darkness of his room, hot breath against the shell of his ear. It was, objectively speaking, eerie and disturbing, yet a comforting routine in Eggsy's world.  
  
His mum would later tell him how fondly he used to describe his adult friend, whom no one had ever laid eyes upon but him. Oh, he was about three or four-year-old, yes, she remembered.

She knew indeed, because she had kept the drawings.

 

 

 

  
  
As much as any other child, Eggsy liked drawing. Whether or not he was skilled in such activity was no concern of him: all that mattered was that he was now able to concretely represent the way he conceived his world. As such, Eggsy would often draw a house with a big garden, although he had always lived in a flat. Standing in front of the very simple, cube-looking house, would be a brightly coloured and smiling Eggsy, happily holding his mother's hand - which looked more like an exploding cabbage than an actual hand, really.  
  
And Harry. Whenever Eggsy drew, the little boy would inevitably add the tall silhouette of the man. His shape, straight and dark, would offer an intense incongruity in the middle of these vibrant colours.  
  
At first sight, Michelle had believed it was Lee. It was to be expected: what other man could hold such a great significance to Eggsy, as to be a part of his drawings ?  
  
However as time passed, Michelle soon came to realise her mistake. Little by little, Eggsy would add more details in his appearance, making it each time easier for her to determinate the dissimilitude between the man-shape and her former husband.

  
"Who's that, sweetie ?" she once asked.

  
Eggsy looked up from the paper he was drawing on, tongue poking out of his mouth, face set in a frown of concentration.

   
  
"But that's 'Arry of course."

  
Michelle knelt by his side and took a closer look. His artistic skills had dramatically improved since the last couple of month . There were now, she noticed, definitely faces, body shapes, and even clothes. The little boy grabbed the yellow-coloured pencil and drew a sun at the right hand corner. It was raining outside, but it didn't mean the sun wasn't shining in his own personal world.  
  
  
"Is he your friend ?" she insisted. Could it be that some stranger had been able to contact Eggsy without her noticing ?

  
  
Eggsy merely smiled at her, sincerely delighted to have the opportunity to speak of his friend.

  
  
"Harry's my best mate for sure ! He knows loads of stuff about everythin' and he's like terrific at-..." But the boy stopped talking mid-sentence.

  
  
She saw him as he looked up, eyes focusing on something next to her, and it seemed to Michelle as if someone standing next to them had just caught his attention. Her most primal instincts told her that something was off, and she turned around, holding her breath, expecting a presence behind her back.

There was no one.  
  
“ Eggsy luv ? What is it ? What are you lookin' at ?” She inquired, nervously licking her dry lips.  
  
The little boy glanced back at her, visibly confused.  
  
  
“You can't see him ?” he asked.  
  
  
“See who ? Wot ? ” She inquired, suddenly feeling anxious.  
  
  
“'Arry. He's just there, innit ?”

  
  
Eggsy pointed out something next to her, but there was nothing but air and dust. Michelle studied the face of her son and suddenly felt chilled to the bones. He was truly convinced of it, wasn't he ? It was stupid, she knew they were alone, yet she felt the need to check again. Nothing.

  
  
“There's no one here, sweetie. Just me and ya.” She assured, swallowing the excess of saliva that had accumulated in the back of her mouth.

  
  
He wasn't listening to her, though, and was still staring at this empty place next to her. Then, suddenly, the boy started giggling for no apparent reason. A shiver ran down her spine and she nervously stood up.  
  
  
“Don't... Don't be daft, babe." She whispered, her dry tone revealing her growing irritation at the situation. "Mum's tired. Come on, it's time to eat.”

 

 

 

  
  
“Can I talk to you now ?” Eggsy whispered in the dark of the night. His mother had just tucked him in bed, which she had not done since... He could not even remember. She was always busy, repeatedly working, constantly tired.

  
  
Harry smiled at him, that particularly fond smile of him which only Harry could offer. His mother never smiled, or at least it hers was never as genuine as Harry's. There was always a nervous edge to her mouth, as if her face had become a rigid mask she had to forcefully bend in order to convey emotions.  
  
  
He had asked Harry about it once, _is she angry at me ? Does she not love me anymore ?_ and Harry told him it had nothing to do with him. She was just tired and still incredibly sad because his dad was gone. It made sense, if only because Harry said so, but rationality did not matter when such emotions were involved. To be honest, Eggsy could not quite recall his father's face anymore, even when he tried really hard to think about it.  
  
Harry sat on his bed, and Eggsy heard the little crack his mattress always made under the added weight. A soft sound, so soft, like a feather in his ear.

  
“Yes, you can, my dear boy. But you must always bear in mind that you cannot-....”  
  
  
“Talk to ya when there's someone else around, yeah, yeah. But I didn't though!” the boy  
protested.  
  
  
“You didn't.” Harry agreed, caressing Eggsy's short hair with a small smile.  
  
  
“But why can't she see you ? You were just there, right next to her.”  
  
  
“Eggsy ?” interrupted a voice through the door. The yellowish light of the corridor pierced through the shadows of his bedroom. The contrast was so bright it hurt his eyes, leading the boy to hide his face under the pillow.  
  
  
“Eggsy, who were you chattin' with ?”  
  
  
“It's nuffin, mum.” The boy muttered against his mattress. Harry didn't move an inch.  
  
Eggsy could obviously not see his mother's facial expression , but he somehow felt that she was not convinced through the silence that followed. He pretended to fall asleep and waited even after she had closed the door.

  
“She's gone.” confirmed Harry after a minute or two.  
  
Eggsy emerged out from under his pillow so that Harry could tuck him properly. Harry was very solid and Eggsy could feel his touch against his skin, but there was something eerie about him. Even in such darkness, he could see him well enough, as if the man was glowing from the inside.  
  
“Can you tell me the rest of the story from yesterday ? I'm not tired !" The little boy explained although a yawned followed, but he seemed very determined nonetheless "Please, please, please, pleaaaase 'Arry”  
  
“ Fine, how could I refuse a request when asked so politely.” said the man. “Well, so the spy had finally reached the evil HQ ...”

 

 

 

  
  
“Stop fidgeting.” ordered his mother in a hurried whisper.  
  
Eggsy tried for five seconds but it proved to be too difficult for him to stay still when he was feeling so very nervous. It did not help that he was trapped in this dull little room with his anxious-looking Mum and an unknown woman with unsettling blue eyes. They were far too blue, far too clear, and far too protruding to be part of a human being. She had to be a monster of a sort. He did not even dare asking Harry on the matter. What is more, she had been writing stuff on her notebook for the past fifteen minutes. Maybe a new recipe which included Eggsy meat. Harry was standing behind him and Eggsy felt the comforting warmth of his hand on his shoulder, yet it still wasn't enough for him to feel at ease.  
  
  
“Hello, Eggsy.” The blue-eyed woman greeted him, and the boy was surprised to hear how soft her voice was. Maybe that was how she could lure little boys to her evil and boring looking house. “My name is Dr.Hampton.”  
  
  
“Hi.” He wished he didn't have to respond: he certainly didn't want her as a friend, but Harry had taught him the importance of politeness.  
  
  
“Hello, Doctor, nice to meet you.” Corrected Harry, only for him to hear.  
  
  
“Nice to meet you.” The boy repeated after Harry.  
  
Harry had told Eggsy not to look at him when there were people around, so he always tried his best to find something entertaining to watch around him. He usually focused his eyes on stains on the walls or the chin of the person who was trying to communicate with him.  
  
_Never the eyes, not yet,_ had advised his invisible friend, _because your eyes will always betray you. They will notice that you're not listening to them._

  
  
“Do you know why you're here, Eggsy ?” asked Dr.Hampton.  
  
  
Eggsy uncertainly nodded at her chin.  
  
  
“You're a psychiatrist. You want to see if I'm a healthy lad in the head, is all.”  
  
  
From the corner of his eyes, he saw his mum startle on her chair, watching him with wide eyes.  
  
  
“I never...” She mumbled, taken aback, then faced the doctor. “I never told him about it this way, I swear ! I don't know where he learnt that, I don't even know how he knows the word !”  
  
  
Well, Harry taught him a lot.  
  
  
“I believe you, Mrs.Unwin, and I think it is fair for him to be aware of the purpose of our meeting, don't you agree ?.” said the psychiatrist while scribbling something down.  
  
  
“ It's like, one month ago, you know ? He caught a cold or something and you won't believe what he's told me, ma'm. He told me he was feeling "languescent". I dont even know what that means ! I had to look it up ! “

 

  
Next to her, she noticed Eggsy had gone visibly stiff, probably mistaking her attitude for anger or disappointment. She forced herself to calm down.  
  
  
“He's a smart one, this one here .” She praised him with a shaky smile, but it sounded dodgy to his ears. At this point, when his mum tried to caress his hair, Eggsy felt even more ill at ease. The way she stroked his hair was so... Unnatural. Mechanical. He could feel the comfort she wanted to provide behind the gesture, but still.  
  
  
Dr.Hampton watched them like a hawk with her icy blue eyes.  
  
  
“I dunno where he gets that from" Michelle added as an afterthought." Not from me, that's for sure. Sometimes he speaks these posh words like it's normal. He knows things, things boys his age should've never heard to begin wif. Not necessarily bad stuff, just... Grown up stuff. Complicated things. And that's good I guess ? Maybe he's a genius or somethin'. But that's not the problem here...”  
  
  
Eggsy avoided looking at her and focused on his dangling feet. This chair was far too high for him, but he prefered it this way. Harry's grasp on his shoulder suddenly became heavier and he froze, forcing himself not to crane up to search for the problem on his friend's face.  
  
  
  
“...Harry.” He heard his mother articulate. She was speaking about him. It was maybe the first time Eggsy had ever seen his mother somewhat acknowledging the existence of his friend.  
  
  
“I think it's only an imaginary friend. At first, he always talked about him but now he never does, and I'm worried, you know ?”  
  
  
  
Her grip on Eggsy's hair tightened without warning and became almost painful. When he softly cried out because of it she realised her actions and quickly pulled her hand away as if burnt.  
  
There was a tense silence in the room. Eggsy bit his lips and focused on a lost and lonely freckle on his right hand, while listening to the heavy breath of his mother. And then, all of a sudden, all dams broke and she burst into tears.  
  
  
“ I'm worried ! I'm _freakin_ ' out !" she blurted out. "His da's dead and I'm all alone, and, and what if Harry is some real creep that's contacted my boy ? A pedo or a pervert like that ? Wot if i'm the bad mother here ? ”

  
  
Eggsy looked up at her, dread sinking into his mind. His lips started shaking and he tried to catch her attention; tugging at her sleeve.

  
  
"Mum !" he sobbed. "I'm sorry, I will be a good boy I swear, mum ! Stop crying! I will be good !  
  
  
Michelle reached for her son and pulled him into a hug without a word, still crying.  
  
  
Through his own tears and above his mother's shoulders, Eggsy saw the blurry vision of Harry standing awkwardly next to them. Watching them. He closed his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The psychiatrist concluded that it was not uncommon for children to have an imaginary friend, especially at such a young age. She added that children could often vividly experience interactions with their invisible friends, and that the precise description Eggsy could come up with concerning Harry was just a testament to the power of his imagination.  
  
  
  
"Children tend to create imaginary friends when seeking for a source of comfort, but also as a way to cope with their fears, and sometimes it could be just a way to explore new ideas." She explained to Michelle, while Eggsy was waiting outside in a playroom.  
  
  
"It might have to do with your stressful life: taking care of a young child all by yourself, as well as working multiple jobs must be mentally and physically exhausting; which, as a consequence, may have caused your daily interaction with Eggsy to be much less rich and numerous as it used to be. Nothing to worry about. He will come to realise his friend is not real. “Harry” will soon enough wear off. In the meantime, don't hesitate to play along. You may learn a lot about your child's concerns, interests or wishes through this Harry."  
  
Michelle nodded, noticeably reassured. It seemed to her as if the light in the room was much brighter than before. All was well. When, shortly after, she entered the playroom to find Eggsy talking to himself while playing with a stuffed pug, she beamed at him and took his free hand.

  
"It's time for you and Harry to come home, luv".  
  
  
  
Harry was very well aware of the situation. It all turned out to be a satisfying conclusion, as Eggsy would still need many years before understanding why and how Harry had to be kept a secret. As the boy and their mother approached the exit, the man realised Eggsy was still holding the stuffed pug in his left hand.  
  
"Here, give JB the pug to me. It needs to go home." Harry whispered, taking the pug back to the playroom.  
  
  
  
  
Nobody noticed the stuffed animal floating by itself, as if held by an invisible hand.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggsy's childhood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I'm one week late. I've got a lot of impressive and totally acceptable excuses for it, but who cares.

_ Was it all a dream ? _

Eggsy was one year old when Michelle applied in advance for a place in the local kindergarten. They were told all classes were so full none could afford any more children. He almost reached four years old when they finally accepted him, and never had she felt so relieved before : t aking care of a young child was time-consuming, and Eggsy rarely interacted with other children. It was all for the best.

Unfortunately, his first day in kindergarten proved to be dreadfully memorable : as soon as she spotted parents standing around, Michelle visibly felt as if it was her due and hard-won right to rant about London's educational system. She let go of Eggsy in front of the gates. Eggsy's hand had slipped from her rougher and clammier one, like a soap bar slipping out of one's reach.

Harry, on his part, wished he could have stopped her. Far from arousing her peer's indignation, as she was severely lacking the charisma and linguistic skills required to do so,  she did nothing more than making a fool of herself.

"Are you also leavin' ?" asked Eggsy, looking up at him with watery green eyes.

Harry had slowly smiled at him, as if he still had all the time in the world before him.

"Why would I ?" Declared the man, and there were no reason for Eggsy not to believe him.

_ Could he have created it all in his mind ? _

Michelle's working schedule became borderline erratic. She accumulated tough and low-paid jobs, desperately trying to make ends meet, but to no avail. Hollow cheeks, dirty hair, dark circles and the stench of alcohol mixed with cold cigarettes: these were now the only attributes needed to qualify her.

She once even forgot to pick Eggsy up from school, and one of the teachers had to call her four different workplaces. It took time to locate her, and when they finally did, it was only to remind her that her son was still waiting for her in their hall.

So Eggsy tried to help as best as he could. He could not confide in her, did not think it was worth the trouble to let her know that no one wanted to be friend with him in preschool. All in all, Eggsy thought there was no right reason for him to complain. The other kids just tended to ignore him, and the teachers were really nice. Plus, he really enjoyed the free snacks they gave him.

It was not as if he was alone, after all, Harry was always there. There was no need to question it, no need to ask him about his presence on the first place.

Warm, safe, loved Harry would always be here.

_ Did guilt inspire it all ? _

Eventually Eggsy began primary school. Harry taught him how to use the microwave and take his bath on his own. Harry read him bedtime stories, made him learn new words, and would explain why things were as they were. Harry hugged him and played with him. Harry never ate nor drank, but always sat with him at the table so they could chat. When Michelle wasn't around, his invisible friend cooked nice meals for Eggsy and prepared simpler things such as sandwiches for his mother, so that when she would come late at night, there would already be food waiting for her.

By the time Michelle came home, the usual ham and cheese sandwich would have had grown cold, sad and dull-looking on the orange plastic plate. She would ate it all anyway and always made an effort to appear grateful.

"You're such a sweet boy, my little egg. I'm so proud of you." She said one evening she was feeling particularly exhausted, as he had prepared a tray with her favourite comfort food.

Eggsy tried to high five Harry when Michelle went out to buy cigarettes , but the man playfully avoided the boy's hand at the last moment.

" Harry !" exclaimed Eggsy with a feigned outraged tone.

"It is not a very elegant gesture, when one thinks about it. Surely there are better ways to convey-HMPF !'

The small couch pillow Eggsy had thrown hit its target hard in the face, dislodging the tortoise shell glasses from his friend's nose. Harry took a moment to replace them, straightening his bespoke suit, before looking at him with an impassible face.

"I guess war is now declared." Was the only warning offered before Harry launched at him.

Eggsy fled in a squeal and avoided the couch, but it was too late.

"MERCY ! MERCY !" He implored, and his cries quickly transformed into fits of giggles when Harry tickled him.

_ He could still feel the ghost of his touch on his skin. _

__

One day, at class, the teacher asked them about their parents.

"Are you my father ?" Eggsy then asked Harry.

"No, I am not, Eggsy."

"What are you then ? My guardian angel ?"

"Sort of."

_ Was he that lonely ? That desperate ? _

 

When  the teachers caught Michelle at the gates and told her about Eggsy's precocious mind and incredible exploits, she set up her mind.

“I guess me boy is some kind of genius. It's a miracle, really, cause we're not so bright in the family. Must come from his da's side." She'd gloat.

It was one of the best days, one of these days when she would take him home earlier and talk with him about his day.  Pools of blood-and-autumn-gold coloured leaves covered the pavement. Michelle watched as her son tried to step on only the yellow ones.

“I'll work twice as hard to get you in the best schools I can afford.” She promised him.

"I'm happy here, ma' " He responded, focusing on his task and not understanding the depth of her newly found resolution.

Harry did. Cigarettes and alcohol were not the fuel that made her strive in her miserable life. No, he realised, what fed her body in energy was her love for her son. He observed her, watched her face as it was kissed by the last warm rays of an agonising sun. Her face softened by the deep tenderness of a mother at the sight of her child. The intense emotion Harry then felt was so powerful he had to catch his breath. Wonder, guilt, nostalgia, and his own devotion for the child filled his chest in a wave of raw feeling. It was all so vivid it made him painfully giddy.

Here he was, standing as a background actor in all the important family moments Lee Unwin would never be able to see. Here he was, here laid before him all of what his life had been lacking before. How ironic, to learn about it in such a way.

 

_ I remember. It was all real. _

And then there wer e these days.

“ Jimmy says he saw you talking alone !”

Eggsy tried really hard not to speak with Harry in public. He really did. But he sometimes slipped.

“You're barmy my sister said.”

They nicknamed him Loony Egg.

They were just jealous, weren't they ? Harry was incredible, and nobody but Eggsy knew it. And whenever Eggsy felt sad, or abandoned, or angry, Harry was there for him. When he could not reach an object, Harry gave it to him. When he did not know something, Harry told him what he knew about it. And Harry knew a lot of things.

Harry was his.

_ Harry. _

Eggsy soon  was top of his class. Not because of an outstanding intelligence or a hardworking aspect of his personality: he just had to ask Harry what he did not understand, or silently point out the written question when in public. He now constantly kept a journal on him, as writing notes was much more accepted than having a brilliant conversation with an invisible friend. A t first, Harry refused to help him, arguing that Eggsy had to learn the hard way like everyone else. But Eggsy knew better, and it took little time to convince his friend.

"You have a brilliant potential, Eggsy, never doubt that."

"Well as long as I can cheat the way we usually do, I won't disagree with you." the boy cheekily replied.

Eggsy never spent time with people his age, and there were so many things he had been able to learn from Harry before everyone else. Harry, feeling inspired by the innate excitement-seeking aspect of the boy pushed him to try gymnastic, in which Eggsy proved to be brilliant.

_ Eggsy ? _

__

Eggsy was eight when his mother introduced him to her new partner, a certain Dean Baker.

He was nice enough, at the beginning. He would give him sweets and a pat on his shoulder when Eggsy tried to help. Most of the times, really, he just ignored Eggsy when Michelle was not around, and Eggsy was perfectly fine with it.  After all, he still remembered the previous boyfriend his mother had brought from her Anonymous Alcoholics sessions: some kind of depressed and paranoid religious freak who had tried to convince Michelle that her son was possessed by the devil. Nobody knew exactly how he had ended up tragically slipping in the stairs. Eggsy did not really know for sure, but he had a hunch Harry had something to do with it.

But then...Then. Everything went out of control.

It was little things at first. Sometimes, Harry would disappear completely for an hour or two, or some objects would pass right through him as if he was made of mist, which he was not: had he not caught objects before ? Had he not hugged Eggsy ?

"Don't worry, Eggsy, I'm sure it's just temporary." Harry would always say.

_ Was it all a dream ? _

And one day, Eggsy woke up. It was a fine Sunday, and Harry had promised him they would go to the park to feed the ducks. It was still early in the morning: something had disturbed his sleep. Eggsy stayed still a moment, before finally recognising Dean's voice cursing from somewhere in the flat. He could hear him rummaging everywhere in search of god only knew what.

Relieved, the boy sighed.

“G'morning Harry” Eggsy mumbled like he did every morning. He yawned, stretched, and looked around, searching for his friend.

But Harry was not there.

“Harry ?” he called, but no one responded.

Eggsy assumed it was like one of these days when Harry would disappear for twelve hours or so.  But the next day, Harry still did not show up. And neither did he the following day, nor the one after.

_ Am I crazy ? _

Bottles of beers sprouted in the flat as if it was their natural habitat. Dust covered the furniture. When Eggsy ran his finger on the greasy kitchen table, he could write his name on it. The last orange plastic plates were now used as ashtrays near the T.V.  He had found Michelle's lost Anonymous alcoholic pins near the sink, where the bathroom tiles were so damp tiny mushrooms had settled their colony.  Bruises flourished on her tired skin. Scarlet reds, blending into raisin purple, fading into yellowish marks. Dean was drawing on her, the way Eggsy had drawn his brightly-coloured, cube looking houses so many years ago. She kept Dean's masterpieces the way she had kept Eggsy's.

_ How I wish it was real. _

For his ninth birthday, Dean bought him a cake. Eggsy cried, because for the first time, Harry wasn't there. So  for the first time, but certainly not the last, Dean hit him in the face.

“Stop fussin like a fucking faggot, Muggsy. I bought you this cake, you will eat it like it's the last  meal you'll ever have.”

Eggsy never wanted to eat chocolate cake ever again.

Somewhere in an hospital bed, Harry woke up. It was a fine Sunday morning, and he wondered why the first thing that came to his mind was a duck.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised that there's some serious daddy kink going on here. I mean, you know that the ship will be Harry/Eggsy (when Eggsy will be and adult of course) , and Harry kind of raised Eggsy.
> 
> Well, who can blame them.
> 
> Also i made a mistake that i corrected (dean did hit eggsy in the face)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for all the support you gave me my dear readers !
> 
> I'm sorry i was so late, no, i'm not dead, and I'm actually a bit disappointed with this chapter (but I want to get to the point of the story, you see, so I need to make it all faster.)

"It's been four years and a half, Harry. Four years and seven months to be more precise." Announced Merlin, his face grave as he was sitting by Harry's hospital bed. Harry was fascinated by the new creases, wrinkles, really, that had formed on his friend's forehead. It was not very pronounced yet, but the difference was enough to strike him.

Four years. Four years of stressful life, dangerous action, ruthless kills, telling wrinkles, remnants of time wasted marring his skin like spilled ink on a blank page. How much had he missed during four years. Had the world drastically changed ? Was there a blooming Cold War in places that he, as one of the best Kingsman agent, could have repressed ?

"You've never given up on me, even though the probability that I could one day wake up was so infinitesimal?  Four years and a half is an abnormally long time for a coma." Harry pointed out

 "Aye, it is. It was." Conceded Merlin, eyes focusing away from his face. There was a mirror in his left hand. Harry had asked, in a raspy voice that could not be soothed however much water he drank, to bring him one as soon as he could. His first wish had been to be shaved the way he used to be, but his hands were as clumsy as a toddler's. Merlin had done it for him. Harry felt his chin, taking comfort in the smoothness of his skin.

" Abnormally long, indeed." Went on Merlin. " And I must add your brain had an abnormally high level of activity as well. You would have become a medical curiosity, if not for your unique status as a Kingsman agent. We all believed you were partially conscious, but they soon discovered it was all more complex than that... I'll spare you the details for now."

As much as Harry hoped for more information, his decision was deemed wise enough. His body and mind were weak. He was, in his pathetic actual state, no more threatening than an agonising sparrow.

One of the nurses entered and asked if he wished for anything else.

"Yes, I do. I oddly feel like eating eggs. Perhaps scrambled eggs ? Is that possible ? Perhaps later ? "

 

 

 

"Maybe later, Eggsy." She answered in a drowsy voice.

Why does he even bother himself to ask. It was always later, with her. The relevant question here was, _will later even become now at this point_ ?

The room was barely lit. Dusk was falling and yet, nobody had thought it relevant to change the light bulb that Poodle, one of Dean's henchmen, had broken the night before, when trying to kill a mosquito with his handmade bong. There was shattered glass everywhere. Eggsy knew, by now, that keeping his shoes on was for the best, even in his own bedroom. This was the only way to keep his feet relatively unharmed.

"Mum ?" he asked, but whatever she had smoked, it had left her with glazed eyes and a semi-conscious state by now. _Let's just get out of this hole_... He thought. He abandoned her in her zombie state and went to take his coat. Yet suddenly, Eggsy noticed something from the corner of his eyes, and his whole body froze. There, he could see it, Dean's shadow was growing on the adjacent wall. Strangely silent and motionless, he must have been standing in the hallway like a piece of night, his darkness infecting his environment like someone had carefully cut his silhouette to peel his soul away, leaving only his tainted body behind .

His jaws clenched and he forced himself to blink.

The shadow disappeared.

Oh, he was Loony Egg _alright_. The young man sighed and went out of the flat, carelessly slamming the door behind him. Dean was away, doing that nasty business of his. There was no way the man could have been this noiseless anyway. It had never stopped  in the end, had it ?  Sure, Harry had disappeared from his life, but his strange habit of seeing things nobody but him could see ? Well, he was doomed for life now. Still, it was different from when he was a kid. Nothing had ever been as vivid as Harry had been - now it was just creepy stuff, strange noises and looming shadows invading his everyday life.

At first, he had been spooked enough to meet with Doctor Hampton, his childhood shrink.

"You know what I think, Eggsy ?" she bluntly told him after their second interview. "I think you're just a lonely little boy, and you're still craving for this unique relationship you had with your Harry. I also think the unconscious part of your brain..."  She had, surprisingly enough, poked his forehead with her pencil, as if Eggsy had ever granted her the right to touch him "Right here, is trying to tell you there's still enough imagination to infuse your dreams into reality."

That, or he was likely to be schizophrenic. The doctor was not a particularly cautious person, and the only thing Eggsy had to do in order to gather more information was to stay close to the door when she asked to speak privately with his mum. It's rare, at such an early age, but let me give you the address of a trustworthy psychiatrist of my knowledge, and she will tell you all you need to know, she would say.

At one point, he had finally been given anti-psychotics . It was expensive as hell, and later in his teens, Eggsy learnt that her "trustworthy psychiatrist" was in fact his shrink's girlfriend who, three years later, would end up in court for medical malpractice.

And the hallucinations never stopped.

Worse, they became more frequent and even more realistic. Hey, but he had gained cool new behaviours such as anxiety and insomnia from the meds, and even constant dry mouth, the latter which, as a consequence, included a new tic disorder: he often needed to lick his lips to moisturise the cracked skin. No need to say that, in addition of the heavy bags under his eyes, and his constant fidgeting induced by his anxiety, he had fully bloomed into his creepy Loony Egg persona.

Still, even meds could not destroy who he was fated to become. He had been able to make friends - well, there were no more than two, but they were close friends at least. And he had done brilliantly on his last and final gymnastic competition. Final indeed, because, as Dean had kindly exposed to him, there was no more money nor time to waste into this useless activity anymore. Eggsy had seen it coming, which did not ease the incredible sorrow he had felt when his fears did concretise into reality. But, at least he was now able to prove how not useless this activity had been : parkour was as natural as walking to him now. Only a bit more thrilling.

And yes, oh yes, Eggsy was bitter. Eggsy was angry and always the first to throw himself into a fight when the occasion presented itself, which was incredibly often given how short tempered Dean and his cronies were. Eggsy was not a weak crazy little boy, far from it. Which, did not mean he was stupid enough not to flee when things became too rough.

But, let's see the bright side of life, he thought, smiling as he appeared on the usual meeting place and Jamal noticed him, waving at him with a grin while he kept bragging about the illegally acquired "high quality beers" he had just bought for half the price. At least, he had friends and he was fit.

"There's that." He muttered to himself, taking off his cap to run his hand through his hair out of vanity. Maybe he could become a model or something.

It was five years later, at twenty years old, that Eggsy decided to enlist in the Royal Marine.

 

 

 

 

In Harry's mind, there was a little boy. Strangely enough, he could not keep himself from thinking about him, nor could he immediately remember anything related to the child. Fearing partial amnesia, he asked to be tested, only to end up more puzzled when even the most qualified specialists could not explain the phenomenon.

"Your brain is the biggest enigma of our time." Had snorted Merlin, but in the end, Harry had no need to ask him to identify the mysterious boy, as the man was willing and curious enough to do it by himself. However, the poor description he came up with made the task impossible. Too many could fit the profile. Maybe he just wished to father a child.  And so he settled on this most logical explanation.

Of all people, though, Arthur gave him the key to this enigma. They were in need of a particularly good actor to infiltrate a group of Londonian thugs, and Harry, as good at his job as he was, exuded way too much posh waves to be the chosen one.

"In retrospect, and as much as his incompetence was the result of many wasted years of your loyal service in coma, your little experiment could have been useful in this particular situation." Remarked Arthur, more contemptuous than anything as he surveyed Harry's expression from the corner of his eyes with concealed, but triumphant malevolence.

But it did not have the expected effect. The spy's eyes focused on an invisible point, mouth dry and muscles stiff. Lee Unwin. Of course. Of course.

"Excuse me, Arthur." Was all he answered, long legs striding toward the exit, almost running in his haste.

Eggsy, his name was Eggsy.

"Eggsy," he whispered out loud, as if to taste the word on his tongue. It was bittersweet.

"Eggsy" he repeated, louder. Of course.

 

 

 

 

 

"So." begun Merlin, head tilted to one side and frowning as he watched the mess sitting in front of him in the form of Harry. "Let me summarise. During these four years of coma, you somehow split your, uh, ghost from your body and acted as Lee Unwin's son's invisible companion ?"

Harry had to prevent an hysterical laugh from coming out of his throat. He almost choked on it.

Merlin swallowed hard and took his glasses off to rub his tired eyes. "Listen, Harry, I know you felt incredibly guilty after-..."

"Exactly ! " suddenly interrupted Harry, and the bald man startled, almost poking himself with his thumb. The spy's eyes were wide open, pupils dilated, and the reflexion of Merlin's screen on his brown orbs added to the demential state the man was already showing. "Don't you understand ? It must be what triggered it all. The guilt, Merlin, the guilt !"

No, Merlin did not understand, but he nodded nonetheless, feeling like it would be beneficial to act as such.

"Guilt," emphasised Harry, now standing up and shaking his head. "because even though I entered coma shortly after the explosion, I knew I was the reason Eggsy Unwin would grow up fatherless. Lee talked about his son everyday, Eggsy was his greatest gift. And I, I selfishly took it all away from it. And my soul could not stand it. So as there was no other way to make amend, I began to, to haunt Eggsy.".

He stopped, caught his breath, and all Merlin could think was: this man lost his mind. Harry seemed to read it from his body language though, and he angrily pointed it out loud:

"Don't you dare look at me in this way, I am not mad and I will prove it to you. I will prove it all, _because I remember it all_. "

 

 

 

Eggsy gazed silently at his reflection, adjusting his favourite cap. Next to the mirror, almost tauntingly facing him, was the official picture taken one year ago when he had been accepted in the Marines. He hadn't put it there in a twisted masochistic way, nor to force himself to confront everyday what he could have become - a soldier, someone worth to live to make the world a better place, someone like his father- but to remind himself that he had tried, and had succeeded in his short career.

_I'm not worthless Loony Egg._

"Eggsy ? Eggsy come here" called his mother from the living room. Sighing, he went to see what he was needed for. Ever since Daisy's birth, she had tried to make some improvements in her life, and it was visible, only because she had come from the bottom. She had stopped drugs and reduced the weekly amount of alcohol - or so she claimed, but she did seem healthier than a year ago - and, all in all, the flat had become livelier and more bearable. Well, as bearable as it could be when living under the same roof as Dean Baker. No, he didn't have any of the fucking cigarette paper she asked for, which was understandable given that he had not smoked since he was sixteen. Eggsy licked his cracked lips in a swift motion, firstly because it had become an annoying tic, and secondly because he knew it annoyed the fuck out of Dean. It reminded him of snakes and he hated them.

"Get them yourself" he replied impassively when Dean asked him to get some. And, induced by whatever complex reasons - it surely had to do with how this abusive relationship had twisted her mind -  Michelle protested.

"Oi, what have I said to you about speaking to Dean like that ?" Her tone was soft. He was used to it, but it still stung how senseless and unfair it all was. His eyes caught the slouched and useless mass that was Poodle, one of Dean's henchman, watching the TV with dull eyes.

Eggsy commented on it, but still, Dean was the one in power here, and he knew it. Of course he found the way to manage this situation in his favour, of course Michelle did not resist when he implied a threesome with Poodle. Just... Ugh.

Daisy was crying her lungs out and nobody gave a shit, so he took care of it and gave her back the dummy she had lost. She looked at him with her big, watery eyes and Eggsy nervously bit his lips, trying to ignore the pang in his heart, the stab of love he felt for his little sister. She did not deserve that.

He met Jamal and Ryan at the Black Prince, but their cheerful dispositions were not enough to distract him from the hatred and bitterness that cloaked his mind. Unfortunately, Rottweiler and the rest of Dean's band had decided it was a good idea to share the same space at the same time, and Eggsy was tempted, so very tempted to start a fight, or just something, like nicking the car keys the stupid henchman left hanging from his pocket... But he did not. Not tonight, not today. Not with all the troubles that would come with it and Daisy waiting for him to change her diapers.

So, that day, he resisted.

"They weren't fucking worth it, boys."  claimed Ryan, always trying to be the mediator of the group. "You know what, let's just go to my place and get some pizzas."

"It's freezing, I don't see why not". Agreed Eggsy. Dean's stupidly expensive yellow car was parked nearby. One day, he promised himself, he would steal it.

Ah, but something, a brightly coloured flyer someone had placed on the windscreen caught his attention.

"What you doing ?" Jamal asked anxiously when he saw him touching the car, before recognising the flier. "Ah, yeah, I saw them everywhere around the city today. It's made of a bio-..., biogra, biodegra, uh,  auto-recycling something component and shit, not even paper you see, cause Valentine is so eco-friendly. But he's a genius so everyone thinks it's cool."

"Well _I_ think it's mental, everyone should do that." added Ryan, coming closer to read above his shoulder

Indeed, the not-exactly-paper was already almost disintegrating between his fingers. However, in bold red capital letters, Eggsy could still understand the sentence.

 

**Valentine Corps is hiring.**

 

He shared a few glances with his friend.

"Whaddya think ? I mean, it's not everyday they offer jobs like that."

They both shrugged - Jamal was still studying to become a supermarket manager or something like that, and Ryan was already working as a waiter.

"It's a good idea, actually" provided the latter.

 

 

And so Eggsy went to the interview. It did not hurt to try .  He found somewhere in his closet a dark pair of jeans his size, and a white shirt, and Jamal lent him a black jacket to complete the look. It was a bit tight at the shoulder and too long for his shorter frame, as Jamal was more of the lanky type, but it would do.

He felt oddly confident. Dean was nowhere to be seen and his mother complimented him on his looks. The sun was warmer than usual, considering how cold winter had been until now, and, heck, maybe he would actually have the job. Nobody but his mates knew about it, so at least, there was no one to really disappoint if it all failed.  He had practised his speech in front of the mirror, taking on the clipped accent he knew so well. With any luck, he wouldn't slip to his natural cockney accent.

It was ten to nine when he finally arrived, so he was ten minute in advance. Everything was going so well.

When he opened the door, a massive number of heads turned toward him. Eggsy stilled for a minute, realising that there was at least forty people in the waiting room. Waiting for their interview.  Shit, of course it could not be that easy, when had life ever been easy ? Eggsy licked his dry lips and searched for a free seat, which revealed to be a more difficult task than it appeared. Here, there was one at the end of the room, just beside a fake-looking plant. As he crossed the room to take it, it was almost as if he could physically feel all the eyes glued to his back.

"Fuck off". He quietly muttered to himself. His palms were moist, so he wiped the excessive sweat on his dark jeans. He then looked down in an afterthought, to check if his hands had stained them, but no, the material was dark enough.

And so he waited.

One, two, three people tried their luck and different names were called, but still not his own. The blond and dull-looking guy facing him was staring at him with a frown, and Eggsy soon realised his constant fidgeting was annoying him. So, out of sheer boredom, and because he couldn't really help it anyway, he just tauntingly raised his eyebrows and fidgeted even more. Blondie looked so pissed after half an hour that Eggsy just wanted to laugh out loud, but his lips, even after constantly moisturising them with his saliva, were so dry, that he was almost afraid they would burst open if he stretched his mouth. Not the desired looks during an interview. He could not control it, though, and so he kept licking and biting his lips.

Voices were getting louder and louder, warning them that the previous person was about to exit the room and some next jobless person would try to manipulate the jury.  The door opened and a pretty but average looking woman glanced down at her list.

"Gary Unwin ?"

Eggsy stood up so fast he almost stumbled - almost.

"Yes" he said, quite awkwardly, before straightening his shoulders and exposing a confident face. "Here I am."

The woman looked impassively at him. Eggsy licked his lips. They tasted like blood.

 

 

They announced the news by phone, which was quite ironical given the nature of his job. But, who is he to criticise this opportunity. His mother was just ecstatic when he told her. She even baked a cake for him. A chocolate cake. Eggsy pretended he had already eaten today, to which she looked a bit disappointed, but did not comment further. Daisy seemed to like the cake anyway.

 

 

The building of London Valentine Corps was really visible from afar. Mister Valentine, they explained him, is quite the flashy personality, so it did not strike them as abnormal to work in the tallest building in the city. Entirely made of brightly coloured eco-friendly stained glass, it just looked like a giant glittering toy when the sun was caught in the reds and greens. The inside were a bit warmer, livelier than common offices - not that Eggsy was an expert, but still. The professional training took one week. All he had to do was to answer appropriately to the phone, listen to the complaints, and react or counsel as he was told to do . Almost everyday, his coworkers complained about the weather, brought fatty and sugary food to share with everyone else. The mothers compared the worth of their respective spawns through various means : how about their grades, mine likes to read, he saved a baby duck today, how less interesting is yours ?  Most of them were fat, middle aged, dull looking people. His shadowy visions were far more entertaining than the lot of them. Which said a lot.

After three months, Eggsy realised he was slowly rotting from the inside. This job was killing him, strangulating his mind and hopes, crushing his body under the weight of boredom and despair, and oh did he wish for something to happen, for the building to take fire so something exciting other than evading Dean's goons could actually happen.

 

 

 

His wish became true in the form of a letter from an unknown notary in Savile Row, informing him of a pre-set meeting of the utmost importance. His name was written on it, meaning there couldn't be any confusion. It was actually addressed to Gary "Eggsy" Unwin. Eggsy decided to keep this information to himself and went to the meeting on time, despite the fact that Valentine Corps was located at the opposite part of the city. Eggsy had never been there before, and for good reasons. Never before had he ever felt so out of place. Even in his working clothes, which were much more formal than his usual attire, he could feel the striking social difference between him and this entire neighbourhood.

Just by the look of it, Eggsy thought it might have been one of the most expensive notaries of the street. A bell chimed when he entered, and the interior decorations only proved his assumptions: it was all so posh and beautiful it hurt his eyes -   he did actually blink. Warily, he eyed the very expensive chocolate velvet sofa and the very quiet atmosphere. He did not have to wait much longer, as an elegant-looking man entered the room and called him by his full name. They shook hands, and Eggsy could not help but notice that, for a notary, he looked like a friendly kind of guy. His office was just as posh, which should not have surprised him. There was another man waiting for them in the room, a bald one wearing a jumper and glasses, and when he turned to look at Eggsy, the young man could not restrain himself from pulling a face. This man looked like he had been through hell.

The notary invited him  to take a sit but Eggsy declined. He was tired of waiting and comparing everyone's chairs.

"Look, this is all cozy and all, but I just want to go straight to the point."

The notary looked vaguely surprised behind his massive mahogany desk, but a polite smile slowly crept on his lips.

"Well, you seem not to be aware of the circumstances." the grey-haired man commented.

"I assure you he is not." Confirmed Baldie.

Eggsy glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, annoyance rising. His fingers were twitching. Saliva was pooling on his tongue and just waiting for the moment to be used on his lips.

"Care to enlighten me, then ?"

The notary settled further into his plushy chair, crossing his legs.

"We are today gathered to execute the will of Harry Hart. Here are the relevant documentation." He articulated, slowly sliding the papers on the smooth desk toward him.

Eggsy went silent for a moment, before a loud snort could be heard from him. "I'm sorry" he reacted in disbelief "Is it some kind of joke ? I don't know any Harry Hart, sorry mate. Is there a camera somewhere-... "

All he wanted to do was to check the room to confirm his conjecture, but then he looked down. He hadn't really planned on recognising anything, but his instinct had told him to do it, and he had carelessly acted upon it.

"The picture is that of the late Harry Hart, indeed." helpfully added the notary.

Warm gentle brown eyes looking at the camera with neutral interest. Manly but softening facial features, especially his jawline. Neatly combed hair, and these _glasses._ He looked older, but it was him, there was no mistake. It was Harry.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, keep in mind that whatever theory one character comes up with, it doesn't make it true because it's written in the story. It's just, you know, theories, they have their own subjectivity and opinion about what's happening . You can have yours as well !


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To sum up the previous chapter:
> 
> \- Harry was in a coma and woke up. At first he doesn't remember anything, but then somehow he does and isn't that convenient. Merlin thinks he's nuts, and who wouldn't, really
> 
> \- Eggsy has a terrible terribly-sad-boring life. He didn't steal Rottweiler's car, but he finds an even more boring job at Valentine Corps so there's that.
> 
> \- Some wild posh notary appeared out of nowhere and told him Harry was dead.
> 
> !!!! What's to be expected in this chapter !!!!!
> 
> Harry's dead lol.  
> There's some creative swear words involved yeah  
> Eggsy can hear bats and there's a long ass scene of Dean eating eggs. It's all very fascinating, trust me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh hey sorry i'm 5 month late silly me

To be fair, Harry hadn't planned on dying.

 

Well, he _had_ made a will, just in case, and recently, even. It was up to date. Everything was to be bequeathed to Eggsy.

His memory came back gradually as if waiting for his mind to be ready to accept it. The smell of grilled cheese triggered memories long forgotten, while echos of sleepless nights and fairy tales before bed jarred his mind, like an irritating repetitious lullaby. Bright as a colour print, vivid feelings, the deepest sentiments.

As a ghost form, he never questioned himself. He could think, he could analyse, but he never had the awareness of his state - yet he somehow knew. Perhaps was it more a blessing than a curse, this denial of his he used to nurture. It allowed him to be spontaneous and careless with the boy. A parenthesis in time, a loophole of the psyche.

In retrospect, he grieved the loss of it. How could one not regret this godlike experience ?

He had contemplated the possibility; yet, the more he recalled, the more obvious it all appeared: he couldn't be imaginative enough to create so many fake memories.

 

The very day he spoke to Merlin about it, they searched for the boy. It only took a matter of minutes, what with  all the Kingsman facilities they had access to.

"Well, I may be sceptical about this ghost story of yours, but the boy exists. So whether you are projecting your fantasy on a not-so-random individual or speaking the truth, at least someone else can confirm it." Merlin recapitulated.

But Harry was only partially listening to him. He was staring at the screen which displayed the picture of Garry Unwin in his Marine uniform. There couldn't be any doubt. Even after all these years, he would have recognised this face, those eyes, the shape of his eyebrows, the pointed nose.... He would have recognised it anywhere.

"Eggsy" he whispered, voice hoarse. Merlin seemed to sense the magnitude of his emotions and looked somewhere over the monitor.

"Show me." asked Harry, almost awkward in his hastiness. Several files popped up and the whole life of the young man materialised before them.

"Quite the troublemaker, it appears," commented Merlin. Harry didn't answer, but a frown had appeared on his face. "Good I.Q. He used to have great grades, but what do you want, with this kind of neighbourhood... Drugs, petty crime, never had a job. ," The handler kept on scrolling and clicking. "First prize, regional under tens' gymnastics, two years in a row. His coach had him pegged as Olympic team material - why did he suddenly stop ?"

"What about his Marine career ? Show me his file."

A black window opened.

"So, halfway through training, doing brilliantly, but he gave up." Merlin summed up. "What's the matter with this lad ?"

"There" Harry pointed at the screen. "Is that- that's a psychiatrist record." Merlin clicked on it, rapidly scanned the information, then whistled.

"Schizophrenia, uh ?"

"No..." Harry mumbled, taking the mouse from his friend's hand. " This is wrong, it's all wrong." Merlin let him, interested by the intensity of his reaction. The spy found a recording and a feminine voice joined the soft humming of the computer.

 

_"I think you're just a lonely little boy, and you're still craving for this unique relationship you had with your Harry. I also think the unconscious part of your brain... Right here, is trying to tell you there's still enough imagination to infuse your dreams into reality. ,"_

_"This is ridiculous and you know it."_ A boyish voice responded. Harry held his breath. " _I'm not that desperate, thank you very much. Ain't there another explanation ? Maybe my eyes have a problem."_

_" There might be. Another one. I need to talk with your mother, Eggsy, could you please send her ? We will soon after resume our session."_

_[Sigh. A pause, and the sound of footsteps. Another pause, the door creaking.]_

_"Hello again, Doctor,"_ Michelle's voice interrupted _" Eggsy said you wanted to say something ?"_

_"Yes. Could you sit down ?"_

_"Is that about me boy ? Is he sick or something ?"_

_"It is difficult to say, and it's a rare condition at such a young age, but we might contemplate the prospect of a mental illness [ a gasp can be heard from Michelle]. Do you know anything about schizophrenia ? It -”_

 

Harry stopped it before the psychiatrist could finish her sentence. There was a fire in his eyes Merlin had only witnessed on the field when the spy had to kill someone.

"This...!" Harry  stood straight and sputtered, indignation clear in his stance and tone of voice. "I can't believe they diagnosed him as schizophrenic, of all things. They even prescribed meds ! _He's still buying them, even now._ Just because, just because-"

"Because you were there." Merlin completed, and they shared a look of sudden realisation and wonder. "I heard it, something about him and a "Harry", with a special relationship, and the fact that he saw things."

"See ! I existed in his reality as well !" Blurted Harry with triumph. He was dishevelled, and hair kept falling before one eye, the other shining with  a manic gleam.  " I am not mad, Merlin." There was a pause as if a sudden genius thought had struck him. "I need to see him. In real life. "

"Let's- Just, let's say this all true - don't interrupt me, let me speak - let's say it is. Then what ? What do you plan to do about it ? Are you going to reappear in the boy's life "Hello, I used to be the ghost you grew up with, and nobody knows why except  that I felt guilty as hell because you dad died for me, but hey I am in fact a rich, posh spy, do you want to talk about the past ?"”.

"Don't be like that, do you really think I would be that stupid ? That careless ?"

"But the question is real, Harry. I know you, you _are_ careless. In a way. Otherwise you wouldn't be Kingsman agent."

Harry's face hardened and his body stance lost in energy.

"What is it you're asking me, Merlin ?"

The bluish light of the computer screen reflected on his glasses and on his bald head. Harry would have teased him about it, if it weren't for the current situation.

"What are you planning to do, now ?"

There was a silence. Harry pushed his hair back, out of his face, and stared at the picture of the young man on the screen. He turned to Merlin what felt like several minutes later, and their eyes locked on like magnet; the bald man realised his his were shiny - holding back tears.

 

"I've never been this lost in my entire existence. What should I do, Merlin ?"

 

 

 

They had found a consensus. Harry would not meet the boy and destroy the fragile stability of life they could still both hold upon. They would investigate his unique case of coma and "ghost" projection, yet they were not to discuss Eggsy anymore. He could monitor the boy from afar though - the man had become obsessed with him, and Merlin felt like it was a necessity in order not to influence the spy's overall sanity. As far as Merlin knew, the spy had already used some of his leverage on recruiters, allowing the boy to take on a job even though many more skilled men and women should have been chosen instead.

At one point it all became part of the ordinary life: the knowledge of this incredible supernatural event, Harry stalking the young man, Merlin trying to keep it all secret from the agency.  Because he had experienced it firsthand, Merlin knew it was always when all things appeared to be under control that everything exploded. Literally.

The life of Harry Hart ended in violence, mirroring his entire career as a spy and skilled assassin.

Merlin hadn't see it coming. Neither did Harry. How could they have expected Professor James Arnold  to have his head blown up, and for fixers to be expecting him ? It all happened so fast, even Harry Hart couldn't have avoided it.

"We are today gathered to execute the will of Harry Hart. Here are the relevant documentation."

And so Merlin found himself in the posh office of a notary in Savile Row, watching as the boy experienced the end of his world.

 

 

 

So apparently, Eggsy was rich now. And not just wealthy enough to buy several pairs of his favourite winged snickers without blinking, but _fucking loaded._ He even owned house, hell _houses._ He felt dizzy. Everything was so much brighter. His lips and throat were dry.

So, Harry, this Harry guy -his- had been a real person. Eggsy remembered vividly his childhood imaginary friend. What the heck was that all about ? Nobody seemed keen on explaining it to him.

The unknown bald guy came to him at one point, feeling like it was important to inform him that the funerals had happened a week ago,  - _and here call me on my fucking number written on my fucking business card I graciously give you if you have any legal trouble with the will, and you still don't know who the fuck I am, deal with it._ Well, he hadn't phrased it like that, but it's how Eggsy understood it. Maybe the wanker was bitter because he hadn't got anything from Harry. Them thirsty bastards.

Everything was blurry as he took the subway to get home, why, he could afford a cab now, couldn't he ? Eggsy could do anything now. He was free, could take his mom and Daisy and get the fuck away from this wasted place, afford a lawyer against Dean. He could corrupt the judge if he wanted to, surely with enough money he could put the stupid slug in prison. The notary had given him a suitcase containing all the important documents, and he had read them all at least thrice by now.  It wasn't a joke.  Eggsy was rich.

Harry had existed.

_Harry had existed._

He tried not to linger on that fact too much. He should just relish in his incredible luck. Hadn't he deserved it in a way ? Hadn't he suffered enough all his life !

He didn't even see any creepy shadow on his way home.

"Y'seem happy. Good day at your job, today ?" Inquired her mum from the couch when she saw him by the door. She seemed uncharacteristically sober today, and it would have been a perfect day in every aspect if Dean hadn't been sipping a beer next to her. Her reaction intrigued him, and the thug cast a sceptical eye in his direction.

"Yeah, tell us Muggsy, what makes you all smiley and sunshine, today ?"

The blond wiped the smile off his face and thought of a response that could satisfy them.

"I met a childhood friend." It wasn't entirely a lie. Sort of. "In fact, I'm meeting him again, so I'm just going to let my stuff in my room and I'm out of here."

This seemed to do the trick, as Michelle absently hummed back in response and Dean asked nothing more . Eggsy held a sigh of relief and closed the door of his bedroom behind it. He threw the suitcase on his bed and was about to change his coat when another wave of dizziness struck him. Surely could he afford himself a little pause.

The young man sat on the ground just by his bed and pulled a corner of the blanket until it slided on him. He wrapped himself into it and shuddered, and for a moment he sat there, unmoving mass of fabric. He checked on his phone, saw that there were only game notifications, locked it, checked it only two minutes after, looked at the last pictures he had taken -all selfies-, locked it again. His skin felt clammy, his stomach heavy, his throat tight. He wasn't sick, there just were these overall feelings of discomfort and uneasiness. He felt like he missed something, something important - he knew it, he only didn't want to acknowledge it.

 

Night had fallen an hour ago, silence swelling to fill the place available. He hadn't bothered to light up the room, as the sickly yellow streetlights were powerful enough to invade the sanctity of the shadows with. Peering sightlessly at the wall, he could hear bats shuffling near his window.

 _What am I doing,_ he thought, feeling ridiculous, because it was, wasn't it ? It wasn't a time to rot away in the mess of his tiny little room, it was a time to celebrate. Swallowing with difficulty, and god must he have a terrible breath because it tasted bad, the young man grabbed his favourite cap  and stood up, knees weak, balance unsteady. He looked at himself in the mirror. For a moment, he didn't recognise himself. He could recognise the facial features, but it didn't seem right, it didn't feel like Eggsy Unwin. _I need to get out of here, I need to get drunk._

He texted his friends and took the documents with him : he didn't trust his mother nor Dean not to snoop around, so tomorrow first thing in the morning he would got to the bank.

As Eggsy was about to exit the flat again, Dean the Hut, sly as ever, pointed out a loophole in his lie:

"I thought you were leaving your stuff behind. Why you takin' that suitcase with you, Mug ?"

Bloody hell, that man sure knew how to smell the best opportunities.

" 'Got money in it, will buy a pint or two. Gotta go, then, g'night." He quickly told them.

 

Eggsy could have kept it all to himself. Not the money, mind you, although he could, but the knowledge, that of his newly found wealth. Not that he couldn't be strong enough to keep the secret to himself, but it didn't feel right to be this lucky when everyone around him had been struggling so much. So when he sighted Ryan and Jamal fooling around with a cigarette lighter, waiting for him in the cold before the door of a shady pub, his will only strengthened. He trusted his friends with his life.

And so, that night, Eggsy told them. He twisted the truth, telling them he had saved the life of an old man without relatives when he was younger, and that the man had been grateful, lonely, or crazy enough to give him it all. It was incredible enough to become realistic. He showed them the papers until they believed him, promised to help them solve their financial problems, even promised to help Ryan's girlfriend, who was a drug addict and dependant on Dean. He told them about his personal plans concerning his mother and his sister. Sure, he would have been blind not to see the flicker of greed and envy both of them showed at one point or another, in the stiffness of their first smiles,  the light not quite reaching their eyes,  the fidgeting of their fingers. They were only humans . Eggsy trusted them and wouldn't give them up. He bought them all free drinks for the night. It didn't take long for them to end up completely wasted.

"You surrre is one lucky wanka, Eggzzzz" Drawled Ryan as they waited for a cab Eggsy would pay for. "S'bit unfair, all things considered, why not me ?"  Their eyes met, but he broke it off.

"You ain't no knight, s'all." laughed Jamal, leaning on a mailbox with difficulty. He had stolen an empty glass from the pub. Somewhere, a dog was barking, and his owner didn't seem very concerned about it.

The cab arrived.

Sitting on the front passenger seat, Eggsy looked at himself in the side rear view mirror as Ryan struggled to get into the car. His lips and all the area surrounding it was red and itchy, the corner of his mouth cracking up. He picked on it as the whole vehicle shifted, a telling sign that his friend had been loaded aboard.

"D'you guys have any lip balm ?" he asked. His voice had the pallid, toneless quality of his skin.

Jamal snorted. They didn't answer but Eggsy felt the peek the driver risked at his face as they drove by a store with lights on. They spoke none  further, and everyone was safely returned home.

 

 

He had a strange dream that night. Most of it was fuelled by a real memory, when in his early teens, Dean had denied him food for an entire day because someone had stolen cash from him - to this day he still didn't know if it had been his mum or one of his goons. Dean had made him sit in front of him as he ate his dinner. Eggsy saw it all again from an external point of view, watching a younger version of himself shooting daggers at the man as he slowly ate the food with more relish than it warranted.

"You hungry, Mug ?" mumbled the man, shovelling another bite of eggs into his mouth.  Eggsy didn't respond. Dean snorted, amused by his own wit. He poured four fingers of off-brand scotch out of some shady looking black bottle. Inspecting the level of liquid remaining, he poured some more, ice clinking gently against the glass. His skin was as pink as a ham.

 

 

"You alright there, mate ?" asked one of his coworker three days later. "You look like a panda with a bloody mouth. It's downright terrifying ,".

He knew, he had seen himself in the mirror this morning, he wasn't blind nor stupid. At least he had bought lip balm, which only appeared to worsen the situation, highlighting with a greasy film the raw and bloody disaster that had become the area of his mouth. He wrapped his neck and his lower face with a scarf to hide it, pretending to be sick -which was a plausible lie at the beginning of spring.

In his pocket, his phone buzzed with what felt like the hundredth time by now; the notifications informed him  it was a message from Ryan. The guy must have been drinking or something. However Eggsy didn't feel like typing a long message in answer and just ignored it until the end of the day. He only opened it as he was exiting the building, walking through the parking as a shortcut to access to the subway station.

There _were_ literally around hundred messages and missed calls.

 

_Mate something terrible happened I was 2 drunk I told it all to Awa_

_I think we can trust her_

_She no bad girl but u kno she owes money 2 Dean_

_she ain't home it's later than usual where r you_

_I think she told him_

_Pick up ur phone u idiot_

_I told Jamal we comin to Valentine Corps we will pick u up at the exit don't go outside_

 

Eggsy looked up from his phone.

His eyes met with Rottweiler.

"Shit !" He shouted, and he swiftly turned around to run back to the building, but a massive body collided with him from the side, sending them both to the ground. His entire skeleton rattled, up to the back of his neck in a sharp pain when his knees absorbed most of the impact. He cried out and heard his opponent grunt as Eggsy elbowed him in the face. Someone slapped him hard across the face and blood flowed into his mouth: he had bitten his own tongue.

"Piss off ! You ain't ged away with it !" roared Eggsy, tongue swollen and a mix of blood and saliva dripping down his chin "there's video cam’ras in the parkin', you morons !"

His upper body was lifted from the ground as a hand fisted his collar. Poodle's eyes narrowed to slits as he examined his face. A ringing was growing in his ears. "He's right." Pointed out Rottweiler somewhere near.

Eggsy eyes shifted as his whole body went rigid, thinking as fast as possible with the thick soup of his brain to find a solution. Even though it was already dark, there were still many cars in the parking, eventually someone was bound to find them.

He recognised the characteristic sound of someone shuffling money. "Find the security agents. Give 'em this" Ordered Dean's voice."It should be enough. If it ain't, just in case, take this."

Eggsy couldn't see what Dean had given Rottweiler - it could have been more money or a picture of one of the agent's daughter for all he knew.

"I swear imma mash you up, you and your bleeding' cunts of arse-lickers  !" Spat Eggsy as Poodle dragged him behind a lone truck at the end of the parking, hiding them from the main exit of the building.

"Shut ya mouth, nutter, or you won't have your teeth to talk back after I'm done with you." Threatened Poodle.

"You won't do that until _I_ am done with him." Corrected Dean as he crouched down near Eggsy. He grabbed one of Eggsy's ear in his fist and pulled on it until his face, already bruising and smeared with bloody saliva, appeared clearly to the thug. Eggsy screwed his eyes shut out of pain and let a strange grunting sound coming out of his mouth, like a chicken being strangled.

"You tell me, Mug, what's this I heard ? Did you rub the old prat off until he died or sumefin' ? That a whole lotta money for one egg."  A heavy mix of nicotine, onion rings and sweat was radiating from the man’s jacket.

"Fuck off !" Eggsy rasped.

Dean's head tilted to the side, snarling.

"What's that ?" A soft _snick_ \- a knife opening."You weak arse fuckboy, I ain't leaving you the choi-"

A groan of pain beside them cut him off. They both turned their faces to find Poodle's body falling to the ground, a hand smashing repeatedly his head against the concrete in a gurgling sound - it sounded like a bat hitting a baseball.

"The fuck ?!" shouted Dean as he jolted up, releasing Eggsy who was dropped on the floor like a rag doll. The young man quickly rolled on the ground with a growl, eyes wide and alert.

"Over here !" He heard someone shout, far away from here.

But he didn't really pay attention to it because someone, a man in a suit, was beating the shit out of Dean.

Eggsy could only gawk from where he sat against one of the giant tyre of the truck, as the unknown man boxed Dean's ears, breaking his eardrums, eliciting a shriek from the thug _he must have been imagining_. And the man didn't stop there: with incredible speed, he slapped his right palm down on Dean's face, shattering his nose; then hit him once with his left hand in the V under his ribs where the sternum ended, paralysing his diaphragm and leaving him gasping for air. His body doubled over and then pitched forward onto the ground.

 

"Fuuuuuuuck." said Eggsy out loud, because what else could be expected otherwise. The man apparently heard it and turned toward him -and for a moment Eggsy could only see his elegant silhouette as his back was to the streetlight.

 

Their eyes met. It was Harry.

 

Perhaps Eggsy should have done something, at least said something, but all he could do was wheezing and trying to grasp the situation as the man stared right through him, with warm _living_ brown eyes

And then he vanished. Just like that, literally, no explanation, no mystical fog surrounding him or telltale divine light. He just vanished into thin air.

"Did you see that ?!" he asked with excitement as he noticed that two security guards were standing right by him, looking astounded. "Tell me you did, otherwise I swear I'll kill myself."

"We did." confirmed one of them, taking out a taser from the holster of his belt."Now hands in the air and no magic trick - how the hell did you do that ?"

Fuck.

Harry had been invisible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I noticed some kind of pattern in this story, like it always feels like it ends with Harry appearing out of nowhere (with a dramatic "it was Harry") , doing crazy stuff, and just disappearing like that.
> 
> Hey if you have any other cool explanation other than the one developped by the character concerning Harry's ghost/astral projection/whatever origins, then feel free to comment dear reader :) yeah remember we see their point of view, so they might say/ think misleading stuff. And they might not understand why they act or feel the way they do.


End file.
